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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23137132">My Duty Is To You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalakbian/pseuds/Zalakbian'>Zalakbian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Continuity with my Edeleth series but it's not that important, Eloping, Espect other characters to show up, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Her name is Freya, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Read my fic "I am Freya von Aegir", Trans Female Character, Trans!Ferdinand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:34:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23137132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalakbian/pseuds/Zalakbian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Freya is weary, feeling like she’ll always be the number two woman in Hubert’s life.</p><p>Hubert is frustrated, trying to prove to Freya how important and vital she is in his life.</p><p>The solution? Run away and elope, although not without some complications…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth (background), Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>My Duty Is To You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>FINALLY. I've had this fic brewing in my "to-do" list for MONTHS, and I'm finally doing it, and also finally writing a Freya centric fic again, huzzah!</p><p>If you like this, please consider joining to talk about it on the Edeleth Discord Server I run! https://discord.gg/m2AVbJ3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Here you go, dear.” Freya spoke, handing Hubert his first mug of the bitter drink for the day, the dark man smiled at his fiance and graciously accepted it. “Much appreciated.”</p><p>It was exactly seven o'clock in the morning for the two and work was about to start in their shared, spacious office with the two adjacent desks. Mornings almost always went the same  with Hubert waking up precisely at the fifth hour, gently getting out of bed to scrub up and shave, knowing if Freya got into the bath first she would hog it for well over an hour. After that he would get back into bed and gently caress his love until she fluttered awake, Freya turning to face Hubert so they could admire each other’s eyes for a moment, and then officially start the day with a kiss.</p><p>“...G’morning, love…” Freya whispers.</p><p>“As to you, my sunshine.” Hubert responds, and he helps her get out of bed.</p><p>The Prime Minister always starts her day with a long bath for adequate hair and skincare, followed by getting dressed for a short horse ride if time permits. Then they would each get ready in their shared office space while breakfast was brought to them, preparing papers, ink and drinks, all the while discussing whatever was left over from the previous work day, or just what the new one would be like.</p><p>“What are you working on today, Prime Minister von Aegir?” Hubert professionally asked, gesturing towards the rather thick looking bundle of papers Freya was retrieving from her desk. “It is my latest proposal for the council of ministers,” She began to explain, walking around Hubert’s desk to better show him the documents, “A proposal to provide free, public schooling to all citizens of Fódlan, I have been working on it for months in secret, and I am almost finished.”</p><p>Her smile was as bright as the sunrise, Hubert couldn’t help but return it.</p><p>“I’m sure Lady Edelgard will be very pleased.”</p><p>And just like that, Freya’s smile was gone.</p><p>“Are you not proud of me, Hubert?” She inquired, eyes narrowing, “Your opinion matters just as much to me!”</p><p>Silent Hubert cursed, this has been an unfortunate recurring problem between the two as of lately, Freya always seemed to get incensed whenever he brought up the Emperor, apparently viewing his priorities as some form of attack on her. “Freya, you know I have the utmost faith in you, but we are not working for personal glory, this is for the Emperor’s dream of a better Fódlan.”</p><p>Freya frowned and put her hands on her hips, “So Edelgard is allowed to feel proud about her accomplishments, but not me?”</p><p>“That’s not what I- Freya!”</p><p>It was too late, she stormed out of the office, leaving Hubert to sink back in his desk chair, contemplating what was going wrong. He fiddled with the golden band on his finger, he’d been engaged to Freya for eleven months now, and in just a couple weeks it would be exactly a year, was she perhaps frustrated that they had barely spent any time planning a proper wedding date? He thought they both considered it a mere technicality, they were already living, sleeping, eating and working together, and the two were already treated like a married couple by everyone in the palace.</p><p>Was he missing something?</p><p>Freya leaned against the stone water basin in the bathroom, water running so she could splash her face, hoping it would calm her down. In the mirror her teeth were gritted and brow furrowed, she hadn’t meant to storm off like that in front of Hubert, but she knew staying longer would just make the argument go on worse. Freya was just anxious and frustrated really, she loved Hubert, but he could be denser than an anvil at times, especially when it came to matters of the heart. It just felt to her like no matter what, she would only ever be the number two woman in the Minister’s life.</p><p>And Freya didn’t know if she could be happy with that.</p><p>“I must say, Hubert, you’re looking especially gloomy today, is something bothering you?” Edelgard asked as the Minister sat down in her office to share some tea and coffee. They would usually share a moment like this once a day, sometimes Freya would join him and the three would openly discuss policy together, other times Byleth would be there with little Jeralt, her second growing baby bump becoming readily apparent. This time however the Emperor was looking after their child, holding Jeralt on her knee while she took a welcome break from her paperwork to chat with Hubert.</p><p>He was sitting across from Edelgard, chin in hand, still in deep thought about his earlier tuffle, “I had another argument with Freya this morning, I suppose it is still affecting me.”</p><p>Edelgard frowned for her friend, leaning forward and stirring her tea with the lemon slice floating within. “I know you two have always argued over ideals and manners, but the way you’re describing this new problem, it sounds much more dire.”</p><p>“It is. Freya sounds very concerned with what I think of her, and everytime you come up in conversation she seems to get upset.”</p><p>“Oh my, you don’t think she is jealous, do you?”</p><p>Hubert sighed, and sipped his coffee, “I’m afraid I simply do not understand relationships well enough to tell, I wrote to Dorothea a while ago asking for her input, but am still waiting for a reply”. Edelgard nodded, taking a pause to tickle Jeralt’s cheek, “Were I in this situation that’s who I would ask as well, although you could also try asking Byleth.”</p><p>“The Empress, truly?”</p><p>Edelgard smiled, raising her baby to hold up in her arms, almost as if to show off, “By might not understand relationships as well as either of us, but she does understand people well, being the Professor and all.”</p><p>Hubert snickered silently, remembering how Byleth had gifted the Emperor her father’s ring without even know what marriage or an engagement was, but he also couldn’t deny that the Professor had a way of understanding her students and how to help them.</p><p>And she had also firmly landed the heart of his best friend, that alone was enough justification to ask for their help in his own family matters.</p><p>“But; enough about me and my issues, how are you and the Professor faring?”</p><p>“...How am I doing?” Freya griped, raising her fist in anger before sighing, and falling backwards onto the Imperial bedspread. “I am frustrated, and upset, but what can I really do?”</p><p>Byleth was laying sideways across the bed while listening to Freya’s concerns, moving the hand that was massaging her swollen belly to gently petting her friend’s head, sighing in unison. “Have you tried actually talking to Hubert about this, Freya, or are you just waiting for him to figure it out?”</p><p>“Well… I have all but stated it exactly, I think, but how can he be so thick headed, Byleth? Hubert is the Imperial Spymaster!”<br/>
The Empress giggled, and patted Freya’s head, “He might be cunning, and smart, but he’s still Hubert, emotional understanding has never been his strong suit.”</p><p>The Archduke sighed, feeling a little calmed by Byleth’s words and headpats, thinking perhaps it would be best to stop the subtlety and just be blunt with the Minister of the Imperial Household. “I guess your rivalry with Edelgard never truly ended.” Byleth pointed out, and Freya couldn’t exactly disagree, they were just in a rivalry over Hubert now.</p><p>Thinking about it made her feel sick.</p><p>“Can we talk about something else? How about we play some Settlers?”</p><p>Byleth stretched and sat up in bed, “I was going to ask something similar, it’s been such a boring day,” She griped, pulling a robe over her sleepwear and tying it up. “Let's drag El and Hubert from their desks and have them join us.”</p><p>Byleth then grabbed Freya’s hand as she also began to get out of bed.</p><p>“Carry me there and I’ll team up with you against them.”</p><p>Freya chuckled, and eagerly scooped the Empress up in her arms, “You seem very confident that you will be able to get both of them to cut their workday short.”</p><p>Byleth giggled, “Trust me Freya, I have my ways.”</p><p>That ‘ways’ turned out to be barging into Edelgard’s office, grabbing her collar from across the desk and pulling her halfway over for a long kiss right in front of the very embarrassed duo of Hubert and Freya. “El! M’bored! Come play with us!” She pouted in her best babyface.</p><p>The attack was an inevitable critical strike on the Emperor’s heart, and she was defeated instantly.</p><p>“M-my heart! Yes! I’ll come with you- just please not in front of them…”</p><p>But all feelings turned out fine as everyone proceeded to have a grand old time with the board game Freya bought all those months ago, spending the remaining hours of the lazy afternoon playing round after round, with a multitude of different outcomes and winners. Byleth kept to her earlier word, forming an unspoken alliance with Freya which Hubert and Edelgard seemed to catch on pretty quickly, eventually ending with the game being a two on two in all but name.</p><p>Still, Hubert and Byleth took home the majority of wins with the time they had devoted to understanding the strategy of the game, with Edelgard and Freya viewing it as a fun distraction, they couldn’t quite match up with their partner’s prowess, but did well enough. </p><p>“Thanks for the fun and games everyone, but I’ve got to go take this kiddo to bed.” Byleth stated, rubbing the very tired looking Jeralt’s cheek. But Hubert stopped her just before the Empress left, “A moment of your time, in private, please?” He needed to get her opinion.</p><p>“I see, well, if it were me, I would do something surprising, unexpected, something that will silence all doubts she could have.” Byleth vaguely explained, leaving Hubert feeling like bashing his head on the desk.</p><p>“Please, Empress, can you be more specific?”</p><p>Byleth groaned, having let Edelgard take their child to bed just for this. “For you, unexpected would be… romantic, like when you first kissed Freya?”</p><p>Now Hubert was paying attention, “That was but a random fluke, how can I do that, but bigger?”</p><p>The Professor walked up to Hubert and put an arm around his neck, “I’ve got one word for you, elope.”</p><p>That little idea burrowed its way into Hubert’s head and wouldn’t leave all night, tossing and turning wildly in bed while Freya was splayed out in every direction next to him, softly breathing in her sleep. Eventually he gave up and crawled out of bed and to the small desk in their bedroom, lighting a small candle and beginning to flip through page after page of his day planner.</p><p>If this was going to work, he would need to find time for it.</p><p>“Flames Hubert… do you even know how early it is…?” Edelgard groaned after being aroused by her friend at around four in the morning. He had come up to their bedroom fully dressed and cleaned, breathing heavy from the adrenaline and exertion. “Your Maj- Edelgard, the week after next week, Freya and I both need it off!”</p><p>Edelgard rubbed her eyes and sighed, “That’s really short notice, I-”</p><p>“I have it all worked out here.” Hubert interrupted, doing through the planner and explaining every moved appointment, meeting, and task the two would be involved with during the allotted time</p><p>“Look, ugh, if you need this, fine, you two can go do whatever you need.” Edelgard accepted, lightly pushing Hubert away by the shoulder. “Now- sleep, both of us, that’s an order from your Emperor.”</p><p>Hubert couldn’t very well do that, as he was gripped with a feeling he so rarely experienced.</p><p>Excitement.</p><p>“Elope?” Freya blurted in question, nearly choking on her tea, “Are you serious?”</p><p>Hubert braced himself against the desk, looking as serious as ever. “Yes, two weeks from now we’ll go, leave everything behind and do what we should have done months ago.”</p><p>The Archduke was red as a tomato, anxiously twirling some of her hair as she listened to Hubert speak about his plan. “And nobody else knows about this?” She asked, looking straight into his eyes.</p><p>“Just us,” Hubert halfway lied, only having received the idea from Byleth, and discussing the idea of ‘time off’ with Edelgard. “This is our secret, our reward to ourselves.” Freya immediately stood up and pulled on Hubert’s collar in order to kiss him.</p><p>“I love you, Hubert.”</p><p>“...And I love you, my sunshine.”</p><p>They still had the rest of the day to work, but Hubert carried on with a wide, rare smile. He was still dreadfully tired though, and the coffee was barely helping, skipping nearly the entire night to work on his plan was beginning to catch up, and soon he felt himself unable to resist resting his head on the desk. “Just a short nap, that’s all I need…”</p><p>He awoke much later than expected by the sound of a heavy slam against his deck, jolting his head up. “Who! What?” Hubert looked up and saw a furious looking Freya, and bit his lip.</p><p>“You lied to me, Hubert.” She accused, arms folded in defiance. “I can explain-” Hubert started, before being cut off by his partner. “I talked to Edelgard earlier, do you know what she said? ‘Have fun on your trip with Hubert,’ what in the blazes were you thinking?”</p><p>“I-”</p><p>“And not only that, you made it seem like this was us going on impulse, throwing caution to the wind and just being us, but in fact it was perfectly planned so that no one would even miss us!”</p><p>Freya turned around and pinched her brow, Hubert knew this was a catastrophe, and he wasn’t sure how to solve it.</p><p>“I do want to do this, to show you how much you matter, please, Freya.” He pleaded through tired eyes, she just sighed in response. “Honestly Hubert, it feels like you care more about Edelgard’s needs then our own, and I get that, I understand how important she is, how important your work is, but it hurts to constantly feel like the runner up.”</p><p>And with that, she left without another word, leaving Hubert alone with only a bone cold cup of coffee to comfort himself, slowly mixing with the salt that was currently dripping from the Minister’s eyes.</p><p>That night for Freya was a tearful one as well, huddled up alone in bed with Hubert heavens know where, hugging pillows to her chest as she silently weeped into the one under her head. Freya was hoping that Hubert would come in and at least try to apologize, she didn’t know if she’d accept it, but it hurt her to go after him like that when he was just trying his best.</p><p>She held out hope that things would get better, and eventually drifted to sleep.</p><p>Only this time for Hubert to so rudely awake her in the middle of sleep, grabbing Freya’s shoulder and shaking violently. “Freya, get up, it’s time to go.” Hubert flatly stated, throwing a set of clothes next to her head as she blinked awake.</p><p>“Wha? Hubert?”</p><p>He had already sat down and began pulling a pair of sturdy riding boots up his shins, “We’re going, now, I’ve gotten our horses ready, come on!”</p><p>Freya sat up in bed and pulled the braid of her hair away from her face. “But, I don’t understand, Hubert, what are you doing?” Hubert looked at her with the sincerest eyes in his life, “We’re doing what I said we would, truly, no tricks, no schemes, no lies, for both of us.”</p><p>“But, your work- our work, everything you did to ensure your duties would still be met?”</p><p>Hubert finished lacing up one boot and climbed onto the bed to grab Freya’s cheek and kiss her.</p><p>“My duty is to you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>No schedule for this, I just started a new job so I imagine uploads wont be the most frequent.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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